# New Castello Pipe...Hmmm....Concern!



## Fritzchen (Nov 18, 2009)

Good Evening Gents,

Motivated by many glowing opinions of Castello, I finally broke ranks and ordered a "Trademark" series that appealed to my eye better than most (being closer to an English form than is seemingly the norm for this pedigree: kind of a Cuty / Belge / Straight Zulu affair.) 

After waiting in great anticipation for delivery, I opened the package this afternoon: 

Overall outside fit and finish are proper / as to be expected? check.

Proper / pleasing proportions? check.

Jaunty, forward canted bowl? check.

Typical sharply tapered shank and stem? ok - check, but it works for me on this example.

Traditional cross-cut grain and birdseye? check.

Oooh, that comparatively large button? Well, maybe we will see how that goes....hopefully something that one gets used to......

....Provided I can get past this finding, which I have never as yet encountered in my collection of Dunhills, Ashtons, Upshalls and estate Barlings: (yes, I am an anglophile)

The drill enters the chamber right at the bottom where it should; however, it is not in the center. It is off to one side a bit. 

I can confirm that there are no problems with passing a pipe cleaner. 

Nonetheless, I am concerned that with the draft hole off to one side of the chamber that unintended turbulences in the draw will cause it to burn unevenly or contribute to condensation problems.

Certainly the highly reputable and service-oriented e-tailer would offer an opinion on this matter and even take the return if my concerns were not assuaged, but I also wanted to consult the valued experiences and opinions of the Forum Membership.

Am I making too much out of this, or is concern justified? Any similar experiences?

Many thanks in advance for your considered opinions.

With Best Regards,
Steve


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

I can't say whether on not I'd be concerned about the drilling without seeing a pic, but I'm surprised as my Castellos are drilled dead center. However, Castellos are somewhat known for having larger buttons on many of their stems. I like that, but then again I like the P-Lip. If you have any concerns at all I'd return it to tell you the truth. If you buy a new Castello, you should love it and not have any lingering doubts. That's just my opinion of course.


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## Fritzchen (Nov 18, 2009)

Hello John,

Thanks for the reply.

I took some pictures with my Blackberry / Dingleberry / Corporate-Ball-and-Chain Device. Although not the sharpest, I do hope that they give you an impression of what is going on down there.

In looking at it again and again (i.e. obsessing over it) I have been trying to convince myself that a good deal of it is just perspective. Geometrically speaking, there is alot going on down there! The chamber descends at an angle to the draft hole / drill, the bottom of the chamber is always a bit rounded anyway, and on the way through the drill might have just taken down a remaining high-spot. Or, the artisan had to do a bit of adjusting to make all the angles meet up.

Or, maybe I am just trying to talk myself into something, because I want to like the old gal; otherwise, she is quite a looker in my opinion!

Thanks for your consideration.

Best Regards,
Steve


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## NoShhhSherlock (Mar 30, 2011)

Nice pipe! I know I am a newb compared to most on here, but it does not seem too bad. But you will not know until you try it out.


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## jader (Feb 22, 2011)

I think that I would be pretty pissed as if that was a pipe I paid that much for. Even if its their lowest line, its still a $300 pipe. I say return it, as you will never love the pipe.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Don't let perfect be the enemy of very good, as they say. If it meets perfectly at the bottom, what little bit off center I see in that photo does not to me seem to be sufficient to deliver a bad smoke. The vagaries of packing, tobacco cut and the path of burn would overwhelm the twist given the air flow by that little off center. Just a guess.

A beautiful pipe. Think of it as a beautiful girl with a crooked smile.


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## Fritzchen (Nov 18, 2009)

Sherlockholms said:


> Nice pipe! I know I am a newb compared to most on here, but it does not seem too bad. But you will not know until you try it out.


Thanks, Matthew.

You may be a newb, but your opinion has merit and is most welcome.

Perhaps I am over-thinking (over-obsessing?)things a bit. Maybe better just to get on with it, smoke the bugger, build up a cake or perhaps some mud, and Bob's your uncle.

But then again, maybe not.

In all likelihood and understandably, the e-tailer would err on the side of caution and say 'send it back' to make sure that there is no controversy, eventhough there is little cause for concern from this drill. I am not the kind of person who would smoke it, hope for the best, and then proceed to blame everyone else should it go awry. But how are they to know?

That is why I put the question to the Forum. Maybe someone has been there, done that, and either lived to reap the reward or sulk their way through the valley of regret.

Best Regards,
Steve


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Well, I have to say that personally I don't think there is really any problem with the pipe. If it were my pipe I would have already smoked it and probably be loving it. That being said...however...and it's a big however...judging by the way you feel about it I'd send back the pipe. Let's face it, if you had seen the pipe in a B&M in person you wouldn't have even bought it. Just because you purchased it online is no reason to keep it. It seems that you are not really going to get maximum enjoyment out of the pipe and with a high end pipe you should. The drilling obviously bothers you and you have concerns with the size of the button. I think it is well worth the cost to ship it back and spend your money on another English pipe or some other pipe that you feel more comfortable with. Will you have lost something...well yes I think you will because I think Castellos are special and I love them. However, there is no way you should even be entertaining thoughts of pipe mud...it's a Castello not a Cob. If those types of thoughts are haunting you then I think you should get a pipe that inspires only happiness in you. That's how I would feel about it if it was my pipe anyway. Dr. Indigo signing off. No charge.


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## Fritzchen (Nov 18, 2009)

jader said:


> I think that I would be pretty pissed as if that was a pipe I paid that much for. Even if its their lowest line, its still a $300 pipe. I say return it, as you will never love the pipe.


And this too is going through my head, Dale...thanks for your input.

While it is one of their lower lines, it should still exhibit good engineering or it should never leave the factory. My thought was that the higher priced lines either have superior grain or some type of extra adornment; but that all lines should be well-engineered and provide a superior smoke.

Hopefully one should be comfortable in the assumption that there are also no (eeek) fills, right? Any Castello experts out there? That would be something that I would most certainly NOT forgive in this price category!

On the other side, if it still delivers a superior smoke I will soon forget the eccentricities of this particular drill....

...all will be forgiven,....and "I love your crooked smile, darling." (thanks for that one also, Jim.)

Best Regards,
Steve


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## dbreazeale (Apr 6, 2008)

if you have concerns and it's going to be on your mind every time you look at or smoke the pipe...send it back and get a replacement or your money back. Castello does make excellent smokers but even the best pipe makers can make a plumbing mistake.


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## madirishman (May 12, 2010)

jader said:


> I think that I would be pretty pissed as if that was a pipe I paid that much for. Even if its their lowest line, its still a $300 pipe. I say return it, as you will never love the pipe.


+1 Im so anal I would never be able to enjoy it. I would return it.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

I take it that this is a new step for you only in that it's your first Castello and that you're well versed with pipes in this price range. I guess as a lowly Stanwell smoker, I'd have to ask 'have you put up with this before?' Would it bother you in any of your favorite brands, or would you overlook it? With your experience, that would be my guide. 

If it was me, well, I'm about ready to take a step up, maybe add a nice pipe once a year rather than sticking to the $100 range, and I am looking at Castello. Since I would be looking for my first "nice pipe", I think I'd have to return it. I wouldn't have bought it in person. Maybe I'm too fussy, but I'd want my first nice pipe to be a nice pipe, you know? And I need to be honest; the $300 level is probably as far as I would go, so it would have to remain a Nice Pipe for good.... I'd love to have an S. Bang, but I'm not sure I could bring myself to put flame anywhere near something that nice, and I certainly can't justify spending the pipe budget on a pipe I don't smoke. So, bottom line, I'd return it.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

On second thought, I'd say send it back. That's a mighty pricey pipe to have an off center drill. Shouldn't have made it out of the factory, really. Now if they were to offer to lower the price to $100, I'd definitely keep it.


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## JeffinChi (Mar 23, 2011)

dbreazeale said:


> ...send it back and get a replacement or your money back.





madirishman said:


> +1 I would return it.





MarkC said:


> So, bottom line, I'd return it.





freestoke said:


> On second thought, I'd say send it back.


+1

An off center basket pipe is ok. An off center _premium_ pipe is not ok. I'd say send it back as well.


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

Personally that would not bother me at all. That's what, 1mm off center?

My Peterson Mark Twain has the airhole on the P-Lip off-center. It just adds character IMO, I bought the pipe to smoke not as a show piece. If you decide to keep the pipe, I bet you will forget about it in a week. Sort of like getting a nice pair of boots, you look closely at everything and try to keep them pristine when you first get them, but then once you get them dirty once they 'become yours' and you cherish their wear and tear. If that makes any sense.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Jack Straw said:


> Personally that would not bother me at all. That's what, 1mm off center?


On third thought...

It seemed to bother him more than it would have bothered me, so I changed my mind, but this was my original take on the subject, too. I'd probably keep it, being an impatient and lazy sort. I'd have to smoke it.


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## Zogg (Aug 31, 2010)

seeing as you used a smokingpipes picture, im assuming thats where you got it... they're super nice (from what i can tell from my 2 orders there, they're nothing but helpful) so i say email em. I'm the kind of person i believe the OP is.. i'd never love the thing because of that little issue i know is there.. even if it doesn't affect it at all i'd always "imagine" it could be better for the same $


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## JeffinChi (Mar 23, 2011)

It's a lot of money to spend on something you are not completely happy with. I don't think the pipe is garbage, i'm sure it will be resold again upon return(hopefully with the retailer citing the small imperfection). 

It's not a large problem, but if it was enough for you to notice, take a picture of, and talk about on this forum; then by all means take it back. If you don't have to keep it, then why would you?

Just my :2


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Personal opinion is I'd send it back. It first raised an issue with you when you got it. You might (maybe) always have it in the back of your mind.
I know it would bug me if I spent that kind of money on anything and something was "off" about the quality/workmanship, regardless of whether it worked.


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

That is so *slightly *off center that I can't imagine 
it could be an issue. I have a few pipes that 
are more off center and they smoke just fine. 
If it *really *bugs you, send it back, but I wouldn't.


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## FiveStar (Jan 7, 2010)

Bah! Smoke it! 

Cobs are made with 1000% less attention to detail than that pipe and they smoke great. If you're not happy with the fit and finish, or the bit, that's another issue. But that drilling isn't off by enough to be concerned about. I'd bet a Castello with the draft hole drilled half way up the bowl would smoke better than most lesser briars due to curing of the wood alone. 

Just my opinion, but if I had a pipe as pretty as that and liked the way it felt in my hand and mouth, I'd pic a tobacco to dedicate to it and burn it down. 

But if you're not happy, you're not happy. That's a lot of cash to be half satisfied with. Still, the drilling based on what I see isn't worth quibbling over.


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

FiveStar said:


> I'd bet a Castello with the draft hole drilled half way up the bowl would smoke better than most lesser briars due to curing of the wood alone.


Now *that *would be an issue for me.
I hate it when the hole is drilled high.
A little off center is no problem, but if it's 
high, you'll never smoke to the bottom.


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## FiveStar (Jan 7, 2010)

Hermit said:


> Now *that *would be an issue for me.
> I hate it when the hole is drilled high.
> A little off center is no problem, but if it's
> high, you'll never smoke to the bottom.


Of course, you're right here! Maybe that was too strong an analogy. Still, I'm on board with you. I pay more attention to the depth and cleanliness of the drilling than the centering than 100% centering. Surely the closer to dead center the better, but if we're talking about condensation and turbulence, I'd be much more concerned with a bumpy draft hole than one that's a mil or two off center. Even a completely anal artisan can't be perfect to that degree every time.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

jader said:


> I think that I would be pretty pissed as if that was a pipe I paid that much for. Even if its their lowest line, its still a $300 pipe. I say return it, as you will never love the pipe.


_Well said my brother i am a master carpenter by trade. And work to exact tolerances. $300 for a pipe is a lot of money. The end product should be perfect even if it cost $50. That's just good craftsmanship!!! Send it back and get what you paid for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_


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## NoShhhSherlock (Mar 30, 2011)

You know you could always ask the seller if this was a defect or not, or if they could elaborate on the design.


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## User Name (Feb 11, 2011)

Sherlockholms said:


> You know you could always ask the seller if this was a defect or not, or if they could elaborate on the design.


For that brand, it's a defect. At least visually.


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## Spectabalis (May 17, 2010)

Well Steve, from reading your thread and replies I can tell it's playing on your mind already. That being the case it will continue to do so everytime you smoke/ hold/ look at it. If you are not happy from the outset then return it for a replacement or refund 'cos if not you'll cus yourself everytime you smoke it.
Just my two pennyworth.
Roger.


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## Hellraiser (Mar 17, 2006)

It would'nt bother me if it was a used estate pipe and was gotten for half of retail. But for that price I do expect perfect drilling, as I've had plenty of perfect Dunhills in that price range.


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## Fritzchen (Nov 18, 2009)

Good Evening All,

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond.

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to this thread; but duty called. How else to pay for terminal PAD and TAD?

Now, at the end of the dliberation, I will indeed send the pipe back.

However unfortunate that may be, since I really do like the looks of it.

But alas, I am concerned that I will never be able to forget about it every time I look at it, and if for some reason - any reason at all - I did not like the way it smoked....well, you see where this is going. That is just more adventure than I care to purchase for USD 390.

For better or for worse, that is the decision.

Thanks again for all of the replies.

Best Regards,
Steve


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